It's been almost an entire year!

Completely forgot about this blog. I can't believe it took me this long to post...


Jeez, time flies doesn't it? Another year gone by.

Roma Life

I had the most delicious dinner ever last night in trastevere. I had a seafood pasta dish and a creme brulee that was fired right in front of me. At first I thought they expected me to fire it myself but the waitress eventually picked up the portable bunsen burner thing which was a relief.

I'm slowly getting more used to this roman lifestyle. It's hectic and completely mindblowing but I love it. Classes aren't tough subject matter wise but they're just very long and exhausting to keep up with. On tuesdays I've got a four hour walking tour and then lunch and then a one hour italian class and then to top it off, another four hour walking tour. By the time I'm finished with dinner I'm exhausted outta my mind... I can barely get my bullshit homework done because all I wanna do is sleep for the next 48 hours which isn't possible because the next day is the same deal. But the places we visit for our walking tour is completely worth it. I went to S. M. Maggiore the other day and it was the definition of interior architecture. Marble columnades, coffered ceilings with lotus flower detailings, 5th century frescoes, porphory floors and bronze baladacchinos... jesus christ indeed! The church itself is separately demarcated as the official terrioty of the Vatican city. Only the papacy can own something so decadent... dur

I love my art conservation professor. She's this tiny little woman who knows everything there is to know about art conservation. She works in the frescoe conservation studio in the vatican so we get special access to all these different sub-dept of art conservation because apparently its a huge deal. Everyone feels so special when the swiss gaurds in their colorful outfits greet us and let us pass because otherwise they'd shoot us if we dared to enter without permission. I also like her because she brings pocket coffee chocolates to class in case we need that extra boost which I so desperately need.

Last week my research seminar class took a trip to the priscilla catacombs. I love creepy morbid things like that so of course I had molto fun. Light was so scarce so we constantly had to time our visits into various niches and grouped tombs. The scariest part of the trip occured when this nun popped outta nowhere [the catacomb caretakers are nuns since the burial tombs are owned by a christian church]. She was upset at us for taking pictures in which our professor denied but he got caught red-handed because there were cameras planted everywhere haha cant blame the man for trying.

And then there's my ancient art professor: Gadeyenne aka THAT OLD MAN. This man is insane. On the first day this old man tried to scare everyone shitless by saying that the course will be difficult and backbreaking and that if one feels as though they aren't capable then you might as well stand in the back with your face down in the dirt with mortal shame. I absolutely loved it. He preaches art history like a fucking holy doctrine and teaches everyone to never take these things for granted. I bet the airheads and meatheads didn't see this one coming.

photos

whats my deal with pictures?
i've taken maybe three pictures since i've gotten here.
i guess when you're overtaken by beauty one forgets about taking a snapshot.
its okay, i've got hundreds of snapshots ingrained into my memory...

hungry...

i've got to figure out a way to control my neverending hunger. i eat literally 8-10 times a day and italians eat 3 meals with the exception of coffee for breakfast. i forsee great troubles ahead.

the weather is pretty miserable. i just heard lightning 40 seconds ago. i cant say that its raining because the rain comes and goes in small increments and then stops. its rather annoying because then i have to change perhaps 3 times a day. but i hear the weekend weather is going to be beautiful. that i look forward to.

and kate, i cant wait for you to get here. florence is a little over an hour train ride away. i'll be seeing you real soon mi' dear! i've also got a europhone and skype. skype me!

1st Post

Ciao.

I've finally arrived in this beautiful city. Yeah some say its dirty with the smog, graffitti, and trash but I think I can argue against that. Every city has its own unique character and Roma could not be complete without all those components however "dirty" they may be.

The program itself is good. The majority of the students who have joined me on this program are nice and fake. Preppy New England style pricks with no brains whatsoever. It makes me really wonder about the program... Its fun to kick back and watch them darting in all directions possible, scampering to forge an "inner circle" to compensate for their lack of self-confidence and plain good judgement. I think they're going about this all wrong. But who the hell am I to say anything, si?

My schedule is insane. I've got 4 classes, 3 walking tours per week and for good measure, an internship at a museum library. An average day at oxy aint got shit. The first couple of days I thought my legs were about to fall off after walking 50 miles. You wish I were exagerrating those numbers.

Everything is bene: the food is delicious, the city is unbelievable, and the men are cute and sleezy but nonetheless cute. The cappucinos and pastries are amazzzzzinnnnggg. In fact, they're so amazing I think I'll go get one now.

A presto,
Jane

am i drunk?

Note to self*
Never, when I say never, I mean NEVER drink a buttload of alcohol the night before your 13 hr flight.
The hangover I can live with but the constant state of hunger is murder.

I've got 4 hrs to wash up, pack, and basically get everything in order... I should be running around the house frantic but I've decided to just take it with a very zen approach. Nice and easy does it.

Alright next post will be in Italy!
ciao

Ciao

I'll be in Italy by the 19th of January. Until then, more packing!